Summary
Ryan McFarland is the creator of the Strider Bike. The bike allows kids to focus exclusively on their balance. It is one of the best-selling bikes of all-time.
McFarland’s son was riding the Strider Bike. Within a few days, McFarlands’ company had sold millions of bikes.
People are biased towards solving problems through addition rather than subtraction. Adding something makes you feel like you are advancing, while taking something away makes you feeling like you're retreating. In healthcare, nearly every condition people face is addressed by adding something.
In software, this concept of favoring less over more is known as the “Mythical Man Month” (or more simply, “Brooks’ Law” This is the case because adding more people means more bureaucracy, which risks disempowering some of your best people. Just look at Healthcare.gov as a perfect example.
Last year Chipotle’s restaurants collectively generated more than $10 billion in annual revenues and close to $2 billion in operating profits. This model has resulted in a stock that has compounded at more than 25% annually over the past decade-and-a-half.
In the lead up to, and during, the Covid crazed market of 2020-2021, “one man band” venture capitalists were able to raise money with ease. In 2022 and 2023, ‘one man VCs’ started to disappear, the Tigers of the world were humbled and retrenched.
What would happen if you reduced the number of things you focus on in your daily life by 20%? How about 30%?? Say 50%??? What are the chances you wouldn’t miss the things you cut out? Would you end up being a happier person? A better colleague? Parent? Spouse?
